Seaford revoting on school budget June 21

Seaford will hold a revote June 21 on a school budget that pares $261,600 from its original proposal but still carries the highest projected tax hike among Nassau's 56 districts.

The revised plan calls for $54,920,057 in spending next year, up 2.43 percent from the current level. The tax levy -- revenue raised from local properties -- would rise 8.35 percent.

Budget supporters acknowledged that a tax increase of that size could be a tough sell in their middle-class community, where taxation has been a sore subject in recent years. Last week, by a vote of 1,881-1,448, residents rejected a slightly larger budget that would have raised spending 2.92 percent and taxes 8.99 percent.

Still, backers said the district has responded to parents' pleas to preserve student services and the revised budget deserves a "yes" vote. On Monday, about 200 parents and others appeared at a school board meeting in support of existing programs, including full-day kindergarten classes now in their third year of operation.

"After having full-day kindergarten, it would be a step backward to have half-day," said Heather Paccione, a mother of three and a PTA officer at Seaford Harbor Elementary School.

Seaford is one of five Long Island districts that lost budget votes May 17. Westbury also will hold a revote on June 21, the statewide polling date, on a revised budget carrying a 3.17 percent property tax increase, down from the 5.51 percent hike rejected by voters. Oyster Bay-East Norwich's board will meet Tuesday night to weigh whether to vote again. Locust Valley's board will do the same Wednesday night. Fishers Island has decided to skip a second vote and has adopted a slightly trimmed "contingency" budget.

Seaford's assistant superintendent for business, Kenney Aldrich, said the revised budget would save money by eliminating a custodian's job, winter and spring middle-school sports, computer purchases and some administrative costs. Another budget rejection would cost the district an extra teacher's job, probably at the secondary level, he said. That is on top of 10 teachers and 15 other staffers already slated for layoffs.

Seaford's financial problems date to 2005, when a previous administration underestimated surpluses by $1.7 million. Since then, Aldrich said, the district spent down its surplus to regain public confidence but was left without a cash cushion this year when the state cut aid to the district by more than $1 million.
"This is a correction year," he said. "From now on, we feel we'll be able to live with what the state gives us."